unknown 58 Cameron Street Launceston Tasmania Australia 1. Eliza Ann Lacey; 2. Ellen Leech formerly Smith 1. Louisa Mary, William Lacey, Alfred James, Arthur George, Ada Emma, Francis Henry, Martha Elizabeth, Ernest Thomas & Eliza Anne

William Stokes was born about 1828. He was a storekeeper for Messrs Cummings, Raymond and Co. at the River Don settlement in the 1860s when the little hamlet was a busy centre of activity. He left the Don in 1871 and resided at Carrick, Launceston and Longford. He was twice married, first to Eliza Ann Lacey on 28 Sep 1855. They had nine children between 4 Jul 1856 and 5 Dec 1873, the two youngest dying as babies. Eliza Ann died at Carrick aged 40 from chronic bronchitis on Christmas Eve 1873, just three weeks after the birth of her last child.

Willam married a widow, Ellen Leech, nee Smith, at the home of George Baker, Launceston, on 6 Jan 1876. There were no children from this marriage. Willam died aged 78 at the residence of his unmarried daughter Martha at Lefroy on 21 Apr 1906. He was buried at the Charles Street Cemetery, Launceston. Ellen had died 10 years earlier on 27 Jul 1896. William's second wife Ellen, son Willam Lacey and his wife Caroline, daughters Martha Stokes and Ada Biggs are also pictured in the Family Album.

Sally Vandenberg Jun 2008